Lift grading machine



Aug. 22, 1933. D. PARKS 1,923,878

LIFT GRADING MACHINE Filed Feb. l2, 1931 5 Shee'Ls-Slflee',y 1 l Allg. 22, D PARKS LIFT GRADING fMACHINE Filed Feb. l2, 1951 n 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 G) XO i-l ////////7///,

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Aug. 22, 1933. D. PARKS 1,923,878

LIFT GRADING MACHINE Filed F'eb. 1.2, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 QYQMLJM @T7-OHNE?? Patented Aug. 22, 1933 v 1,923,878 LIFT GRADING MACHINE Dennis Parks, St. Louis, Mo.

Application February 12, 1931 1 Serial No. 515,202

. 14. claims. (c1. 209-89) The general object of this invention is to provide a leather grading machine which in operation shall function to grade pieces of leather according to thinness rather than thickness.

vary considerably in thickness, both as to individual lifts and as respects each other; and the primary purpose of the invention is to provide amachine which will operate to automatically grade such heel lifts according to thinness and to discharge from the machine at various zones of assembly, heel lifts having the same degree of minimum thinness. Such method of grading and 1s-assembling is very desirable, as it enables the operator to rapidly assort from a batch of heel lifts, heel lifts having the same degree of minimum thinness, so that said lifts may be subsequently run through a skiving machine and be leveled down to the thinnest portion thereof.

With the'above object in View my improved machine is characterized by a rotatable circular carrier having a series of combined lift holding and ejecting members mounted at regular intermechanism with which said holding and ejecting members are adapted to cooperate, and trigger mechanisn'i` combined with each of the holding and ejecting members and adapted to be set by the grading mechanism to cause each of the lift holders and ejectors to be released and eject a heel lift from the machine within a given zone in the travel of the carrier determined by the minimum thinness of the lift carried by said lift holder and ejector.

The machine in its entirety is believed to be new, as is also the principle of operation afforded thereby. The machine likewise includes in its assembly various novel parts and combinations of partafand all of these will be fully set forth in the detailed description to follow.

ln the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention; but I wish it understood that, in its broad gli aspects, the invention is .not limited to the precise details of construction and combinations of parts illustrated, and hereinafter described, except as these may be specifically referred to in certain of the appended claims.

In the drawings- Y Fig. l is a top plan View of a machine 'constructed according to my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line .'35 5J-3 of Fig. l, showing the grading mechanism The machine is intended primarily to grade died out, whole heel lifts, which, as is well known,

vals thereon, automatic selective lift gradingin its normal position; Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the position of the parts of theA grading mechanism when resting on a heel lift to be graded; Fig. 5 is -a view in front elevation, partly in section, `of the grading mechanism as viewed from the iront of 'the machine,` or from the left' of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1, illustrating 4the position of Yone Vof the combined lift holding and ejecting members just prior to its ejecting movement, indicated by dotted lines.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 1,

Fig. 2, indicates the main Vdrive Shaft havingon its outer end a pulley 2 bymeans of which it vmay be driven by a belt (not shown) in the usual manner. The shaft 1 is mounted near its outer end in a bearing 3 provided on a side frame mem-V ber 4, and at its inner end in a bearing 5, formed on a sleeve V6, bolted, as indicated' by dotted lines as to one of the bolts v"I, to theopposite side frame member 8.v Thel lsleeve 6'is secured, as by means of binding screw 9, on the lower end of a vertical supportingpost 10. Mounted on shaft 1, near the inner end thereof, is a beveled pinion 11 which is in mesh with a relatively large beveled gear 12, the hub 13 of which is secured, as by means of a binding screw 14,' on the lower end of a hub 15, which isi-rotatably mounted on the post 1C,` and is supported at its lower end on theupper end of sleeve 6. The hub 15 is preferably'cast integral with a circular carrier 16, Figs. 1 and 2, which is in the form of a wheel having a relatively Wide flat rim 17, and flat spokes 18, mountedon the post 10. Above the carrier 16 vis a stationery wheel-like member 19, of smaller diameter than the carrier 16, having a central hub 20 projecting from both of its side, and radial arms or spokes 21 uniting the hub with a at rim 22. The circular member 19 is fixed on the supporting'post 10, as by means of a binding screw 23, and its lower end terminates immediately above the upper end of hub 15, and forms an upper bearing for said hub. Secured on the periphery of rim 22, by means of 'screws 24, is a vertically disposed metal band 25 (see also Fig. 6) which surrounds the rim 22 forrthe greater portion of its circumference,- beginning at the point indicated-by A in Fig. 1, and terminating at the point indicated by B, in said gure. From the point A to the point B the lower edge 26 of band 25' is gradually inclined upwardly, as indicated in Fig. 2, so vas to provide a gradually widening space between'said lower edge and the upper surface of the carrier 16. The purpose of this construction Will presently appear.

In accordance with my invention, as the circular carrier 16 is rotated, the operator places a heel lift in successive lift holders and ejectors carried around by the carrier; each lift in turn is passed under the grading mechanism, and thereafter', at a point in the travel of the carrier determined by the minimum thinness of the lift, each lift holder and ejector is released and caused to eject the heel lift into an appropriate receptacle. The various mechanism entering into these operations will now be described.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 6, the numeral 27 indicates a combined lift holder and ejector, one of which is slidably mounted on each of the spokes 18. Each of these lift holders and ejectors comprises ar bar 28 which is slidably mounted in a guide 29 screwed on the upper side of the spoke. At its inner end the arm 28 has a laterally projecting tongue 30 to which is secured one end of a coil spring 31, the other end of which is secured in a ilange 32 depending from the rim 17 of the carrier 16 as by means of an eyelet'33. The inner end of arm 28 is provided with a stop ange 34 which is adapted to engage a bumper mounted on the guide 29 in the eject-A ing movement of the lift holder and ejector, said bumper comprising a bolt 35, Fig. 6, slidably mounted in the guide 29, and having a coil spring 36 encircling its shank and interposed between its head and the bumper. This bumper, as will be clear, serves to arrest the outward movement of the lift holder and ejector caused by the exerted power of spring 31, and to soften or deaden the shock of the impact of the stop 34 with ysaid bumper. At its outer end each of the lift holders and ejectors comprises an arm 37, which is substantially a continuation of the arm 28 which rests upon the rim 17 and is provided on its upper side with two upwardly inclined and forwardly projecting lugs 38, (see also Fig. 5), which in effect constitute holders for a lift inserted under them. Between the arms 28 and 37 there is provided a flat laterally projecting plate 39, the outer side of which is provided on the upper side of the plate with a curved flange 40, Figs. l and 6, forming a stop for the side of the lift, the breast of which is inserted under the holders 38. At the left-hand side of the carrier 16, in Fig. 1, I have illustrated by dotted lines a heel lift in position in the holder formed by the arm 37, lugs 38 and seat 40, and have indicated said lift by the numeral 41. Each of the combined lift holders and ejectors carries what I have heretofore referred to as trigger mechanism, and this mechanism will now be described: f

Mountedon the upper side of each of the plates 37 V(Figs. 3, 4, and 6), is a lug 42 which is provided with a semi-circular recess 43 forming a seat. Numeral 44 indicates a trigger which is in the form of a har having a central curved member 45 on its under side forming a trunnion seated and adapted Vto work in the recess 43. Projecting upwardly from opposite sides of the lug 42 are guides 46 which serve to confine the trigger 44 between them. Thetrigger 44 is recessed above the Vtrunnion 45 as indicated at 47 and central of this recess is provided an upwardly projecting lbearing lug 48 which is adapted to be engaged by the free end of a leaf spring 49, which, at its other end, is secured by a screw 50 on the lug 42. The leaf spring 49 bears with suicient force on the bearing lug 48 to hold the trunnion 45 in frictional engagement with its seat 43 so that the trigger 44 will remainin any adjusted position to which it may be turned by Lezasvs the means hereinafter referred to. The numeral 5l indicates an arm which is loosely moun"- ed on the supporting post l0 and projects radially outward to near the inner side of the rim 22. Secured on the outer end of this arm is a leafspring 52, the free end of which is turned downwardly and bears against the upper side of a supporting arm 53, which serves to limit the downward movement of the spring. rIhe supporting arm 53 is mounted intermediate the ends of a bar 54, which at one end is pivotally secured to the arm 51. Toward its other end the bar 54 is providedA with a slot 55 through which and an aperture in one of the spokes 2l passes a bolt 56, having a wing nut 57 screwed on its Lipper' projecting end, so that by loosening said nut and moving bar 54 in one direction or the other, the arm 51 may be turned to vary the position oi the spring 52 relative to the grading mechanism, according to the size of the lifts being graded. The inner end of trigger 44 is provided on its upper side with a contact-lug 58, (Figs. 5 and 6), which is rounded on its upper surface and is adapted, in the movement of the circularcarrier 16, to engage the under side or the leaf spring 52 to cause the inner end of the trigger to be depressed, as clearly indicated in Fig; 4.4 rThe outer end of trigger 44 is provided with a trigger-head 59 which is adapted, when the inner end of the trigger is depressed, to be brought into engagement with the under side of a plate 60, (Figs. 1, 3, and 4), from the forward end of which. plate projects an arm 6l (see also Fig. l5) which projects under a series of lever arms 62, forming part of the grading mechanism. In the drawings I have shown three lever arms 62, but a greater or less number could be employed if desired, without departing from the principle Vof the invention. Each of the lever arms 62 has rotatably mounted thereon, interediate its length, a grading roller, indicated, respectively, by the numerals 63, 64, and 65. The plate '60 is provided on its upper side with studs 66 which loosely engage in apertures 67 extend ing through the rim 22 and through a flat casting 68 secured on said rim and having anv integral arrn 69 projecting outwardly therefrom Vto a point slightly beyond the outer edge of the carrier 16. rIhe plate 6() is also provided with a relatively long spindle 70 which passes upward through an aperture in the rim 22, the plate 68, and through a bearing 71 cast integral with said plate; The upper end of spindle 7G is screw threaded and provided with an adjusting nut 72 and between said nut and the top of bearing 7l is interposed a coil spring 73, which tends nor mally to exert pressure on the nut 72 and main tain plate 66 in its uppermost position, with the arm 61 engaging the under sides of the three lever-arms 62, as shown more particularly in Fig. 5. The arm 69 previously referred to is in the form of a U-shaped angle-bar, the open side of the bar being on the bo ttoin, and one side member of this bar, that at the right in Fig. 5, is provided with a lrniiewedge, indicated at 74, to form a fulcruri common to all of the leverarms 62. Each of these lever-arms is provided on its upper side and near its rear end with a laterally projecting trough-shaped bearing 75, opening upward, which bears against and pivots on the fulcrum 74 of arm 69. Each of the lever4` arms 62 is also provided at its rear end with a laterally-projecting, apertured lug 76, through which is passed a bolt 77, the head o1? the bolt bearing against the under side of the lug 76. The

upper end of each bolt 77 is provided with an adjusting-nut 78, and between said adjustingnut and bar 69 is interposed a coil spring 79. Each of the coil springs 79 is more powerful than the coil spring '73, and exertsV a constant pressure on nut 78', with thefresult that the three grading rollers 63, 64, and 65 are forced downwardly into-engagement with the rim 17 of of the circular carrier 16. f

vIn addition' to the guides 29 for directing the outward movement of thecombined lift holders and' ejectors, I nd itY desirable to providev additional guiding means for the outer endfportions of these members, and to this end I mount near the periphery of. the circular carrier 16 a series of rollers 80, each'of which hasY a flange portion engaging over the rear side of. each of the arms 37 of the lift holders and ejectors, and as each of the springs 31 for causing the outward movement of the lift holders and ejectors is vpositioned at an angle to the longitudinal axis of its lift holder and ejector, so that it exerts a lateral pull on the inner end of arm 28, it follows that the rear side of arm 37 will be maintainedin contact with its roller 80, so that when each spring 31 is permitted to exert its power, its lift holder and ejector will be moved outward in a radial direction, and binding of the arms 28 in the guides 29 will be prevented.

In order that :the lifts being graded may be piled within easy reach of the operator, I provide a table 8l at the left-hand side of the machine, asvillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, said table having a guard 82 extending around part of its three sides. Y'Ihis table, as shown in Fig. 2, may be supported from one or more spacing sleeves 83 surrounding a cross bar 34 connecting the side members of the frame, the supports for the table being indicated at 85. The table at its inner side is curved to be concentric with and'lie closely adjacent to the periphery of the circular carrier 16, as indicated by the numeral S6 in Fig. l, and is provided beyond this concentric portion with an outwardly curved portion 87, which acts as a cam surface to force the lift holders and ejectors inward, as Will presently bedescribed. This inner side of the edge of the table, shaped as described, has applied thereto a metal band 88. As shown in Fig. 1, the band 88 projects Vslightly 'beyond the narrow part 'of the table at thefront, and is bent back upon itself and secured to the front side of the table, as indicated at 89, providing a space 90 through which a bracket 91 integral with and projecting downwardly from the arm 69veXtends, and on the lower endY of which, as shown by Fig. 3, is mounted a friction roller 92, which engages and supports the under side of the circular carrier 16 immediately adjacent the grading mechanism, so as to prevent this part of the carrier from being depressed due to the pressure thereon of the grading rollers. l

To provide for receiving in separate compartments lifts of like thinness graded by the machine, I surround about one-half of the circular carrier 16, on the side thereof opposite 'that at which the table 81 is mounted, with a series of bins, indicated, respectively, by the letters a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, and i. As shown by'Fig. 2,these bins are formed by radial arms-93 clamped on a circular band 94 located beneath the circular carrier and supported in any suitable manner, as by being secured to the spacing sleeves 83 previously referred to. Suitable sacks, -as of burlap, canvas, or the like, are mounted on the variousarms 93, and form zones of assembly for the` lifts graded by the machine, any .lift of a thinness to. be ejected from the machine during the movement of the carrier through the arc represented by the width of any one of the.

bins a to being suitable for deposit insuch bin.

In operation, the carrier 16 being ccntinuously rotated through power applied to the belt pulley as previously described, the operator picks up a lift 4lV and places it on the rim 17 of the circular carrier, inserting-'the breast of the lift under the ings 38er the lift holder and ejector,

repeats-this operation as each off'these members reaches positionV in front of him. Each lift thus inserted is carried' under the grading mechanism.. Prior to the passing under the grading rollers of the lift, however, the inner end of trigger 44 will pass the trigger head 59 at the outer end of the trigger upward into engagement with the underside of plate 60; and, due to the fricticnal engagement under the spring 52,' turning Y of the trigger with its bearing Vprezlduc'ed by the v spring 49, said trigger will remain in its adjusted position after it has'passed from under ,the

spring 52. This is the position of the parts illustrated in Fig. 4. Just as the contact lug 58,' on the inner end of the trigger passes from under spring 52, the lift 41 willhejfcrced, in the movement of the carrier 16, under the grading rollers 63, 64, and 65, as also indicated in Fig. 4. As the lift passes under theserollers, which latter are pressed downward upon :the lift with considerable force', due to the power Vof springs 79, one or the vother of said rcliers will be depressed yas the thinnest portion of the lift passes under it.

As this depression of the roller occurs, the outer end of the lever arm SZcarrying such roller will be caused to bear downward upon'th'e arm 6l of plate 60, moving saidplate downward against the resistance of spring 73 and thereby moving the trigger-head 59 downward a .corresponding distance." The trigger isthus automatically set by the thinness of the lift being graded. As the lift moves froml under the grading rollers the trigger-head 59 passes behind, andk into engagement with, the inclined band 25, being held insuch engagement by the pull of the spring 3i, this position of the parts 'being illustrated in 6.

As the carrier continues torotate, the triggeri25` head 59 will ride'over the inner side ci band 25 until it reaches a point where it nieves off of the band, when 'the lift holder andY ejector will be at once moved outward by the exerted power ofl its spring 3l, and `as the arm 37' carrying lugs 33 moves beyond the periphery ofthe carrien, as there is now no support for the litt, the latter will fall into a bin, in the present case the bin g,

over which the arm 37 is positioned at this particular moment. The next left graded may be thinner or thicker yin its thinnest portion than the preceding lift, and accordingly the trigger 44 will beset so that said lift will be ischarged into one or the other of the bins preceding or succeeding the bin g. The outward `movement v of the ,lift holder and ejector is arrested by engagement of the stop iiange 34, mounted in the rear end thereof, with the bumper 29.

According to the size cf the lifts being graded, the position of the spring 52 may be changed rela tive to the grading rollers by loosening wing nut 57 and moving forward or backward the bar 54, so

`as to insure that the trigger 44 will pass from under the end of said spring just prior to the time that the lift passes under the grading rollers.

In the continued rotation of the carrier the" outer end of each projecting lift holder and ejector will engage the cam surface 87 of the table and be forced inward, after which the said outer end passes on to the curved surface 86 and will be held thereby in its inner most position until the trigger 44 engages behind the band 25, which then operates to hold the lift holder and ejector in the retracted position until the trigger passes off of said band. f

As each of the coil springs '79 is stronger than the coil spring 73, andas the trigger head 59 is always forced into engagement with the bottom of the plate 60 prior to the passage of the lift under the grading rollers it will be clear that as the lift passing under the grading rollers 63, 64, and 65 decreases in thickness in the portion thereof passing under one or the other of said rollers, such roller will immediately be depressed by the power of its spring 79 and the plate 60 will be correspondingly depressed owing to the engagement of the lever arm 62 of such roller with the arm 61. By this action, as previously explained, the trigger head 59 will be depressed to the same extent as the plate 60 and the particular grading roller operating the same. It will thus be apparent that even a very slight variation in the thickness of the lift will be reflected in the setting of the trigger 44, and that all lifts varying to the same extent in thickness must necessarily cause the trigger head of the corresponding lift holders and ejectors to be depressed to the same extent, and, therefore, each trigger head so set will pass o of the inclined edge 26 of the band 25 at approximately the same point, thus depositing all lifts of a given degree of thinness in the same bin.

In the case of very small lifts it is unnecessary to use more than one or at the most two of the grading rollers. In such event I provide for holding the grading rollers not being used in an elevated position, as otherwise the roller or rollers positioned beyond the outer edge of the lift placed under the lugs 38 would always ride on the surface of the rim 17 and. be lower than the roller resting on the lift being graded, which would, of course, cause all of the lifts to be ejected at the same point.

The holding means referred to comprises a bar 95 (Figs. 1 and 5) which is pivotally mounted at 96 on the rim 22 to project radially outward therefrom and has secured on its outer end and depending therefrom an Lshaped plate 97, the foot 98 of which is directed outward or toward the lever Varm 62. By raising one or two of these lever arms and inserting the foot 98 under the same by turning bar 95 on its pivot, the said lever arm, or lever arms will be held in an elevated position, with the corresponding grading roller or rollers held out of contact with the surface of rim 17.

I claim:

l. A machine for grading leather lifts comprising, in combination, a rotatable circular carrier, a series of radially-disposed, spring-actuated combined lift holders and ejectors mounted thereon at regular intervals around its periphery, a circular band mounted above said carrier and having a lower edge upwardly inclined in the direction of movement of said carrier, grading mechanism, a trigger carried by each lift holder and ejector having a head normally engaging and riding over the inner side of said band in the movement of the carrier, and adapted to be set by said grading mechanism relative to the lower edge of said band according to the thinness of a lift being graded, whereby to ride off of the said band and effect a release of its holder and ejector at a given point in the travel of said carrier.

2. A machine for grading leather lifts comprising, in combination, a horizontally-disposed rotatable circular carrier having a fiat rim portion, a series of radially-disposed members slidably mounted 'on said rim portion at regular intervals around the periphery of said carrier, each of said members having means for holding a lift placed on said rim portion in engagementY with the member, a circular holding device positioned above said carrier and having a lower edge upwardly inclined in the direction of movement of the carrier, a trigger carried by each of said members having a head normally engaging behind said circular holding device, grading mechanism positioned above said rim portion and operating to set the head of each trigger relative to the lower edge of said holding device according to the thinness of a lift passed under said grading mechanism by the member carrying such trigger, whereby, in the continued movement of said carrier, the head of each trigger will ride off of said holding device and eiect a release of its lift holding member at a given point in the travel of the carrier.

3. A machine for grading leather lifts comprising, in combination, a circular carrier rotatable in a horizontal plane, a series of radiallydisposed, spring-actuated ejectors slidably mounted thereon and adapted to have lifts placed on the carrier in engagement therewith, meansY adapted to hold said ejectors in a retracted position during a portion of the travel of said Y carrier, multiple grading mechanism located above said carrier, means carried by each of said combined lift holders and ejectors and adapted to be set by said grading mechanism according to the thinnest dimension of a lift passed under the same by the carrier, and operating to effect a release of the ejector engaging said lift at a given point in the travel of theV carrier, and means for returning said ejectors to their retracted positions and maintaining them in such position until they have passed in turn by said grading mechanism. l

4. In a machine for grading'leather lifts, in combination with stationary multiple grading mechanism, a rotatable circular carrier having a series of combined lift holders and ejectors slidably mounted thereon and movable by the carrier in succession under said grading mechanism, a spring connected with each of said lift holders and ejectors and tending normally to force it outward from said carrier, a Aplurality of means cooperating to hold each lift holder and ejector in a retracted position after it has passed a lift under the grading mechanism, one of said means being carried by the lift holder and ejector and adapted to be set by said grading mechanism in accordance with the thinnest dimension of the lift being graded, whereby, in the continued movement of the carrier, it will be moved out of relation with the other means and effect the release of its lift holder and ejector at a given point in the movement of the carrier determined by the thinness of the lift carried by said lift holder and ejector.

5. In a machine for grading leather lifts, in combination with a rotatable circular carrier, grading mechanism positioned above said carrier and comprising a series of spring-pressed rollers normally held in `engagement with the kstationary means being adapted' lto rele surface of said carrier, a series of combined lift holders'and ejectorsfslidably mounted on ther carrier and adaptedto be moved in succession by the carrier under said grading mechanism, whereby to cause a lift placed on said carrier in engagement with a lift holder and ejector to be moved under said rollers, a trigger carried by each of said liftlficlders and ejectors, means operated by the movement of one or the other vof said roll-l ers in passing over the Ythinnest portion of a lift to set said trigger, stationary means cooperating with said trigger as its holder and r,ejer/:tor passes beyond the gradingv mechanism to hold the lift holder and ejector in a retracted position, said 'e said trigger at any point in its length determined 4by the position of the trigger as set by thegraling mechanism, and means for causing veach lift holder and ejector to be projected outwargdiy as its trigger is freed from engagement with said stationary means.,v y

6. n a machine for grading leatherrliftsain combination with a rotatable vcircular carrier, grading mechanism positioned above said carrier and comprising a series of pivoted lever-farms each oi which has a roller mounted thereon@ spring exertingpressure .on o ne end 4of each'lever arm to maintain its roller in'yielding ,engagement with the surface of said carrier, vertically movable setting mechanism engaged by the other ends of all of said lever arms, a series of combined lift holders and ejectors slidably mounted on the carrier and adapted to be movedy in succession by the carrier under said grading mechanism, whereby to cause a lift placed on said carrier in engagement with a lift holder and ejector to be moved under said rollers, a trigger pivctally mounted intermediate its ends on each of said lift holders and ejectors, means adapted to be engaged by the inner end of said trigger to force its outer end upward into engagement with said setting mechanism prior to the grading of the lift by said rollers, whereby the movement of one or the other of said rollers in passing over the thinnest portion of the lift will set said trigger stationary means cooperatingv with said trigger as its holder and ejector passes beyond the grading mechanism to hold the lift holder and ejector in a retracted position, said stationary means being adapted to release said trigger at any point in its length determined by the position of the trigger as set by the grading mechanism, and means for causing each lift holder and ejector to be projected outwardly as its trigger is freed from engagement with said stationary means.

7. A machine for grading leather lifts comprising, in combination, a rotatable circular carrier, a series of spring-actuated combined lift holders and ejectors mounted thereon at intervals around i its periphery, means adapted to hold said lift holders and ejectors in a retracted position during a portion of the travel of said carrier, grading mechanism comprising a series of springpressed rollers under which the lifts to be graded are passed in succession by the lift holders and ejectors, and means carried by each lift holder and ejector and adapted to be set by the movelment of one or the other of said rollers as it passes over the thinnestportion of the lift being graded, and operating to eiect the release of lift holder and ejector at a given point in the travel of the carrier determined by the thinnessV of the lift graded.

y8. A machine for grading leather lifts comprising, in combination, a rotatable circular carrier, a Series Qf .sprrigractuated .Ogmbined lift hclders and"'eiec 'rs'siidab'lr mounted the c at intervalsarou ts periphery, nieaiis af is ad Said iifthlsfs'ae eiectorfat a given pointinthe travel ,of the carrier determined bythe thinness :of thelitt'gialded. 9. A machine for grading eleatl'ier lifts com prisms, ,Combinatin a rtat'abl circular Teal.- rier, a seres of y'.sfpring-actuated combined' Vlift `holders and ,ejectors slidably mounted thereon at `interals :around its peripheli; means adap i to hold said lift holders"-andfejectors inhaL r tracted position during aA portion of the trav i of said carrier, l grading mechanisA i .under which the lifts to be graded are 4adapted t be p ed in .succession by said holdersfa'r'id ejectors, "ans adapted to be 'set `by said ,grad mechan cordingv to lthfe thinness of'a lift fr 'and operating to .aeect the release of The lift 'h lde and Biester Carrying seid `1. einer si inthe travel ofv the carrier, and a""stationary member having a cam surface and a surface concentric with said carrier and operating, by the engagement of the lift holders and ejectors therewith to return said lift holders and. ejectors to their retracted position and to maintain them in such position as they pass under the grading mechanism. l0. In a machine for grading leather lifts, in combination with grading mechanism comprising a plurality of spring-pressed lever arms each of which carries a grading roller, a rotatable circular carrier for the lifts the surface of which is normally engaged by said rollers, means on said car- (g. rier for passing the lifts to be graded in succession under said-rollers, and means on the machinefor holding at will one or more of' said grading rollers out of grading relation with said carrier.

1l. A machine or grading leather lifts comprising, in combination, a rotatable circular carrier, a series of spring-actuated combined lift holders and ejectors slidably mounted thereon at intervals around its periphery, grading mechanism positioned above said carrier and compriso ing a series of spring-pressed rollers normally held inrengagement with the surface of the carrier and under which the lifts to be graded are adapted to be passedin succession by said lift holders and ejectors, a setting device adapted to be operated by the movement of one or the other of said rollers in passing over the thinnest portion of a lift being graded, a trigger pivctally mounted intermediate its ends on each of said lift holders and ejectors, a spring arm positioned to be engaged by the inner end of said trigger in the movement of the carrier to cause the outer end of the trigger to engage said setting device prior to the grading of the lift, whereby the outer 5 end of said trigger will be positioned by said setlting device in accordance with the thinness of the out of engagement with which each trigger is adapted to pass at a given point in the travel of the carrier determined vby the position Vto which it has been set by the grading mechanism, and means for adjusting the position of said spring arm relative to said grading mechanism.

12. A machine for grading leather lifts comprising, in combination, a circular carrier rotatable in a horizontal plane, a series of springactuated ejectors slidably mounted thereon at intervals around its periphery and adapted to have lifts to be graded placed on the carrier in engagement therewith, means adapted to hold said ejectors in a retracted position during a period of the travel of said carrier, selective grading mechanism positioned over said carrier, and means adapted to be set by said grading mechanism according to the thinnest dimension of a lift passed thereunder by the carrier and operating to effect a release of the ejector engaging said lift at a given point in the travel of the carrier, whereby said lift Will be moved by the ejector beyond the periphery of the carrier and permitted to fall.

13. A machine for grading leather lifts comprising, in combination, a circular carrier rotatable in a horizontal plane, a series of springactuated radially-disposed ejectors slidably mounted thereon at intervals around its periphery and adapted to have lifts to be graded placed on the carrier in engagement therewith, means adapted to hold said ejectors in a retracted position during a period of the travel of said carrier, selective grading mechanism positioned over said carrier, and means adapted to be set by said grading mechanism according to the thinnest dimension of a lift passed thereunder by the carrier and operating to effect a release of `the ejector engaging said lift at a given point in the travel of the carrier, whereby said lift will be moved by the ejector beyond the periphery of the carrier and permitted to fall.

14. A machine for grading leather lifts comprising, in combination, Ya circular carrier rotatable in a horizontal plane, a series of radiallydisposed, spring-actuated ejectors slidably mounted thereon and adapted to have lifts to be graded placed on the carrier in engagementJ therewith, means adapted to. hold said ejectors 1n a retracted position during a portion of the travel of said carrier, selective grading mechanism positioned over said carrier, and means carried by each of said ejectors and adapted to be set by said grading mechanism according to the thinnest dimension of a lift passed thereunder by the carrier, and operating to effect a release of the ejector engaging said lift at a given point in the travel of the carrier, whereby said ejector will project the lift beyond the periphery of the carrier.

DENNIS PARKS. 

